Process of and apparatus for amalgamating gold and silver



(No Model.)

A 0'. E. BALL. V PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER. No. 245,117. Patented Aug. 2,1881.

1 WITNESSES INVENTOR N. FEYERS, PlwXwLiUmgnpher. waahin mm D. c.

. UNITEnS'rAT-Es PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES E. BALL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF AND-APPARATUS FOR AMALGAM ATINGGOLD AND SILVER.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 245,117, dated August 2, 1881.

' Application filed Jnne1,1880. (No model.)

' wherein the figure is a verticallongitudinal section, partly in elevation, of an amalgamating apparatus embodying my improvements.

- The objects of my invention are as follows: first,to facilitate amalgamation by rubbing, polishing,or abradingorein its passage through a column of mercury; second,to secure a downwardcirculation of mercury in the amalgamating chamber, so as to retard the upward movement of the ore throughthe same; third,

to relieve the amalgamating-chamber of the coarse, unamalgamated portions of are which accumulate on the surface of the mercury, by

drawingoff the same separately from the waste, in order to restore them to the mill to be recrushed fourth,to collect any-mercury which 5,

may escape from'the amalgamator with the waste; fifth, to effect-,without resortingto washing or settling, the separationof the waste from ore which has been mingled with mercury by means of a'blast.

' whilepassing through a columnof mercury,v

. My improvements consist in, first, the mean s 1 hereinafter described and claimed forpolishing, or subjecting to rubbingor abrasion, ore

and herein relate to the provision, in the' mercury-suspension chamber of an amalga-mator,

of a. polishing-roller or equivalent device for polishing, rubbing, or abradin g the ore in its ascent through such chamber; second, the com- 7 bination,with amercury-chamber having two compartments, ofa pump for producing a downward circulation in the amalgamating-apartment of said chamber; third, the combination,

with an amal gamatin'g-chamber, of a discharge- "pipe having branches or inflows at different altitudes, whereby the course nnamalgamated portions of ore may be drawn out of said chamher separately from the waste fourth, the provision of a pan having amalgamatingsurfaces and provided with a false bottom and water; inlet, and having means whereby a vertically reciprocating movement is communicated to it fifth, the method of separating waste from ore which has been mingled or mixed with mercury,

exhaust device, whereby the mingled ore and mercury are drawn upwardly through a column of suspended mercury, thus detaining the metals while the waste is permitted to escape; sixth, certain details of construction and combination hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A designates a vat or tub designed to hold mercury and to act as an ore-receiver.

B represents a feed-pipe for ore, which may connectwith a cylinder, 0, forming a mixing- Ichamber for ore fed from a hopper, 0, and mercury from a cup,0, such ore and mercurybein g mingled in said chamber by means of a blast of steam, air, or other like medium admitted through a pipe, I).

D represents the amalgamating-chamber, consisting of a cylinder, 0?, whoselower open end is elevated slightly above the bottom of tub A, and another cylinder, d, which rests upon said bottom, said cylinders 01 and cl being cone e, leading to a flaring chamber, 0, within which is located a conoidal block or follower,

B, which is made fast to the wall of cylinder d. The roller E is designed to fit snugly, yet rotate freely on its vertical axis, within the cylin der'd,-and is made vertically adjustable on its shaft,'so as to increase or diminish, as may be desired,'the distance between it and the block or follower F.

. Leading downwardly from cylinder at is a pipe, h, which connects with a suction and force pump, H, from which proceeds another pipe, h, connecting with cylinder do. Within the latter is a coiled steam-pipe, I, whose inlet and outlet, respectively, are at t t".

K is-a water-inlet pipe to thesection 01 L is the discharge-pipe of the amalgamator D, having two inflow-branches,-l if, of difl'erent lengths or terminating at unequal altitudes, the longer or lower one being designed to carry oft coarse portions of nuamalgamated ore, and

the higher or shorter one the fine waste or.

slime.

L is a stem having valves 1 1 designed to alternately close the openings to the branches 1 l.

M is an ejector on the upper end of pipe L, and discharging onto a rocking conduit, N, pivotally sustained on the upper edge of a pan, 0. Said conduit is connected by a rod, a, with the valve stem, L, so that when the latter is turned to open the branch Z the conduit will discharge the coarse particles outwardly or away from the pan 0; but when said stem is turned to open the branch Z the conduit will be tilted to discharge into said pan. The pan 0, which is a copper or copperdined vessehis supported on springs 12 p, which rest on a platform, P, sustained on the amalgamating-vessel D, and eccentrics R, on suitable shafts, are placed below it, as shown, so as to give a vertically-reciprocating motion to said pan. Said pan has a foraminated false bottom, 0, and water-inlet o.

S is a suction and force pump, and T a mer curystrainer, connected with each other and respectively with the cylinder (1 and holder or cup 0.

The operation is as follows: Ore suitably crushed and, if desired, diluted to a fluid or slime condition, or minged with mercury by means of a blast, if the mixing device shown be employed, is fed into vatA through feeder B. Mercury having been previously supplied to tub 'A, and valve-stem L turned to close branch land open I, the ejector M' is started. At the same time pump H is set going and steam admitted to pipe I, and water caused to flow through pipes K and 0. The roller E and eccentrics R are also caused to revolve. The ejector lifts the mercury out of the tub A into cylinder ('1, up to or about to the line at x, mercury flowing through pump H until it finds the same level in cylinder (1, enough of the metal, however, remaining in tub A to form a thin sheet on bottom of latter, the entrance to said cylinder (1 being unsealed. The ore, or ore and mercury from feed-pipe B, dropping into tub A, passes up through the suspended column of mercury in cylinder (1, being polished, rubbed, or abraded in its passage by the roller E and follower F. The mercury in cylinder (1 becomes expanded by the heat from coil I, and is forced by the pump H in a stream or current over the edge (1 whence it drops down into cylinder (1. By this means a downward circulation of mercury is secured in the amalgamating-cylinder (I, thus retarding the passage of ore through the same, and thereby beneficially increasing the period of time for allowing amalgamation. The water admitted through pipe K dilutes the waste and prevents too great expansion of the mercury, such waste beingdrawn through branch Z, and discharged by ejector M onto conduit N, whence it flows into pan 0. Here any particles of mercury which may have escaped with the waste are caught upon the sides or bottom of pan, 0, the agitation of latter facilitating the collection. After the operation has proceeded for some time there will be found on the surface of the mercury,in amal gamatin g compartment or cylinder d, an aggregation of particles of ore too coarse to amalgamate and too heavy to rise to pipe or branch 1. The stem L is now turned, opel'iiug branch I and closing Z, the conduitN being thereby tilted, so that it inclines outwardly or away from pan 0. The coarse particles on surface of mercury in chamber d are thereupon drawn upwardly through branch I, and discharged by ejector M upon conduit N, to be conveyed from latter to the mill for recrnshing. After such coarse particles are removed the normal operations as first described are resumed on reversing stem L".

The amalgam in chamber cl may be withdrawn from time to time by means of pump S and strained through T, the mercury being restored to cup 0. This straining and restoring process I do notherein claim, as it is shown in a patent already granted to me.

The advantages of the improvements herein shown and claimed are, briefly, as follows: If the ore at the start be mixed with mercury by a blast, as is proposed undcra process already patented, a separation of the waste from the amalgam may be instantly effected by the passage of the mixture through the column of mercury held in suspension by exhaust in cylinder (1, thus dispensing with the tedious and costlyprocesses of washing and settling hitherto resorted to. The ore, whether so mixed with mercury by the blast or not, is polished, abraded, or rubbed in its passage through the column of mercury. This is necessary with silver and flaky gold ore, and with rust-gold, in order to effect assimilation with the surrounding mercury. The circulation of the mercury retards the ascent of the ore and increases the time of amalgamation therefor. ing of the mercury renders it lighter and reduces the amount of pressure required to maintain the circulation, besides bringing said metal into a condition which promotes its affinity fornately or that two separate discharge-pipes,

both communicating with the same ejector, one adapted, by reason of terminating at a certain distance above the surface of mercury, to take the waste, while the other, designed to take only' the coarse particles and extended, therefore, nearer to the surface of the mercury than The heatthe other, may be employed. The same result,

requiring, however,-the employment of two ejectors, which here I"accomplish with one ejector, is obtainable by the means shown in my Letters Patent No. 227 ,716.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In combination with the suspension-chamber of an amalgamating device provided with means for sustaining a column of mercury, a roller, E, and follower F, or equivalent device for polishing, rubbing, or abrading ore in its passage through the mercury in said chamber, substantially as specified.

2. The process herein described of retarding the passage of ore through mercury, consisting in maintaining a downward circulation of mercury in the amalgamating-chamber while the ore is ascending, substantiallyas specified.

3. In, combination with an amalgamatingvessel in two, compartments or chambers, a pump communicating withboth and operating to draw from one and-force into the other,

whereby a downward circulation of mercury is maintained in the amalgamating compartment or-chamber, substantially as specified,

4. In combination with an amalgamatingressel having two compartments and connected with a pump for securing a circulation of mercury therein, an ejector tor produingexhaust in said vessel, and a steam-pipe for heat ing the mercury, substantially as and for the purpose set. forth. 7

5. In combination with an amalgamatingvessel .havin g an ejector .or equivalent suction or exhaust appliance for maintaining a column of mercury elevated therein, a discharge pipe or pipes connected with such ejector and having inflows at different altitudes, whereby the fine waste and the coarse unamalgam ated particls of ore may be separately withdrawn from the amalgamator and discharged through an outlet common to both, as specified.

6. In combination with amalgamating-vessel D, the discharge-pipe L, having branches l l, terminating at different altitudes, valvestem L, having valves l l, and ejector M, substantially as shown and described.

7. In combination with amalgamating-vessel D, the pan 0, rocking conduit N, dischargepipe L,having branches Z l, valvestem L, with valves Z Z and connecting -rod a, substantially as shown and described.

8. The pan 0, having amalgamating-surfaces, foraminated false bottom 0, and waterinlet. 0, below said bottom, with means, substantially as specified, for reciprocating said pan, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with means, substantially as specified, for mixing ore and mercury by means of a blast, a receiving-vessel, A, a suspension-chamber, D, and a discharge-pipe, L, with ejector M or equivalent suction or exhaust device, whereby the waste is separated from the amalgam without washing or settling by drawing the mixed ore and mercury through a column of mercury.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of May, 1880.

CHAS. E. BALL.

Witnesses WM. ,M. MCKNIGHT, S. J JVAN STAVOREN. 

